30 PROTISTS AND DISEASE 



That this non-chlorophyllous plant can produce starch 

 is explained by its being a parasite and using the juices of 

 its host for nutriment. 



Fungi 



Fungi never possess chlorophyll and hence, like animals, 

 they are entirely dependent for their nutrition upon organic 

 matter, living or dead. They do not produce starch, though 

 some possess glycogen, which, like starch, is easily converted 

 into sugar. 



Fat, either as granules or oil drops, is the principal 

 substance they store as reserve nutriment. The dry thallus 

 of Penicillium after completion of the vegetative period 

 contains 50 per cent, of fat. The oil of many fungi is coloured, 

 constituting lipochrome. 



The Phycomycetes include such genera as Saprolegnia, 

 Peronospora and Mucor. The name was given them by de 

 Bary from their affinity to the algae. The Chytridiineae 

 have since been included in this group. 



Saprolegnia. All species of this genus are aquatic, the 

 thallus being attached by a rhizoid to decaying matter. 

 One species is found as an epiphyte on ulcers of diseased 

 salmon. The hyphae may be | inch long. Dying gold-fish 

 are often covered with a woolly growth of Addya prolifera. 

 These fungi are very like Vaucheria in organisation. To 

 obtain specimens place some dead insects or boiled white of 

 egg in a quart of pond water. After 24 hours rinse in clean 



